Vegetation Index of Amazon Rainforest, Brazil

This image shows the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of the Amazon Rainforest, mostly in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Dark green areas indicate a high index, while yellow and brown areas indicate a low index. Scientists have reported that climate change is leading to substitution of rainforest with savanna-like and semiarid vegetation, a phenomenon known as the Amazon forests’ “dieback”, particularly around the edges of the forest. Monitoring the NDVI in images such as this one allows researchers to see how fast and how much rainforest is being replaced with drier vegetation.